Rapid mounting system for food waste disposer

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a food waste disposer which is easily mounted without the use of additional parts or special tools to secure it in place in the sink. A conventional sink flange, gasket, clamp ring, and a novel support ring are provided, with screws threadedly attached to the support ring extending upwardly to hold the sink, sink flange, sink gasket and clamp ring together. In order to mount the major portion of the food waste disposer, the support ring is provided with a series of radial projections which extend downwardly with these projections mating with a series of corresponding projecting lug members carried on a support gasket. Locking between them is occasioned by rotating the support gasket and with it the major portion of the garbage disposer unit in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to lockingly engage the lug-like members behind the projections provided on the supporting ring. A series of secondary, upwardly oriented projections are also provided on the projections on the support ring, with these projections resting in well means in the projecting lugs on the support gasket.

United States Patent Bebinger Aug. 15,1972

[54] RAPID MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR FOOD WASTE DISPOSER [72] lnventor: JackE. Bebinger, Columbus, Ohio [73] Assignee: Westinghouse ElectricCorporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

22 Filed: Sept. 15,1970

[21] Appl.No.: 72,393

[52] US. Cl. ..24l/l00.5, 285/159, 285/359 [51] Int. Cl. ..B02c 18/42[58] Field of Search ..241/32.5, 46 A, 46 B, 100.5, 241/257 G; 285/158,159, 358-362, 376,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,819,915 1/1958 Woodson..24l/100.5 3,286,936 11/1966 McMahon ..'...241/l00.5 3,288,380 11/1966Clements ..24l/100.5 3,477,747 ll/1966 Clements ..241/100.5

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill Attorney-F. H. l-lenson, E. C. Arenzand R. B. Farley [5 7] ABSTRACT The invention provides a food wastedisposer which is easily mounted without the use of additional parts orspecial tools to secure it in place in the sink. A conventional sinkflange, gasket, clamp ring, and a novel support ring are provided, withscrews threadedly attached to the support ring extending upwardly tohold the sink, sink flange, sink gasket and clamp ring together. Inorder to mount the major portion of the food waste disposer, the supportring is provided with a series of radial projections which extenddownwardly with these projections mating with a series of correspondingprojecting lug members carried on a support gasket. Locking between themis occasioned by rotating the support gasket and with it the majorportion of the garbage disposer unit in either a .clockwise orcounterclockwise direction to lockingly engage the lug-like membersbehind the projections provided on the supporting ring. A series ofsecondary, upwardly oriented projections are also provided on theprojections on the support ring, with these projections resting in wellmeans in the projecting lugs on the support gasket.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUB 15 I972 SHEET 1 0F 2 FIG.

PATENTED AUG 5 I972 sum 2 OF 2" FIG.

RAPID MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR FOOD WASTE DISPOSER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention:

This invention relates to an easily mountable and dismountable supportmeans and, more particularly, relates to a rapidly dismountable andmountable support means for a food waste disposer.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

The provision of a food waste disposer which contemplates the mountingof the sink flange, sink gasket, clamping ring, support ring and aretaining ring therefor as a separate step prior to the mounting of themain portion of the food waste disposer is shown to be old in US. Pat.No. 3,425,637. This patent also illustrates a manner for fairly quicklymounting and dismounting the major portion of the food waste disposerthrough a series of interengaging projections on the support ring and alower connector member, mounted with the major portion of the food wastedisposer. However, the use of a connector member such as disclosed inthis patent requires the use of an additional support ring so as tosealingly assemble the major portion of the food waste disposer to thoseelements previously fixed to the sink proper. Further, the interengagingarrangement and relationship between the support ring, compressedsupport gasket and the connector member may prevent easy rotation of thefood waste disposer so as to align the drain extending from it with thehousehold plumbing.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a mounting arrangementfor a food waste disposer which yielded easy and quick mounting withouta requirement for specialized tools and, at the same time, permittedeasy adjustable rotation of the major portion of the food waste disposerso as to align the drain provided through its wall with the plumbingarrangement existing under the sink in which it was mounted. It wouldalso be advantageous to provide a food Waste disposer which did notrequire continuous compressive force application to the support gasketduring assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a food waste disposerhaving a conventional hopper and comminuting chamber for the reductionof waste food products so that they may easily be disposed through ahousehold drainage system. The food waste disposer is attached, within aconventional sink, through the agency of a sink flange, sink gasket,clamping ring, and screws which compress the sink gasket so as toprovide a water tight seal between the sink and the sink flange of thefood waste disposer. Below the clamping ring and mounted with the sinkflange is a support ring having a plurality of threaded holes throughwhich screws are inserted and rotated until a sufficient clampingpressure is provided against the clamping ring and through it to thesink gasket. The support ring is supported from the sink flange by aretaining ring which is received in compressed relationship between itand an annular groove formed on the sink flange. The support ring isprovided with a series of three radially projecting, primary suphopperof the food waste disposer also includes a series of three lug-likeprojections. The primary supporting portions of the support ring canthen be engaged with the lug-like projections on the support gasket bymerely placing these two structural elements in nesting relationship androtating the support gasket and the major portion of the food wastedisposer attached to it relative to the support ring until the primaryprojections provided on the support ring are nestingly engaged beneaththe lug-like members of the support gasket.

A series of secondary support portions are provided on the primarysupport portions, with these secondary projections being engagable inwell-like means provided in the support gasket. Engagement of thesecondary projections with the support gasket is obtained by aligningthe primary projections with the lug-like means on the support gasketand then letting the support gasket and the remainder of the food wastedisposer move downwardly due to their own weight until the secondaryprojections are matingly engaged within the wells provided on thesupport gasket. The food waste disposer is thus fixedly attached to theconventional sink.

The hopper of the food waste disposer includes an annular right-angledflange at its upper end, with the annular flange extending into thesupport gasket in a similarly shaped groove contained therein. Since thesupport gasket and hopper are not an integrally molded subassembly, thehopper and the remainder of the food waste disposer disposed below itmay be rotated within the groove in the support gasket to align thedrainage means contained in the food waste disposer with the householdwaste drainage system.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION to a kitchen sink;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the support ring and supportgasket; and

F IG. 3 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of one of thesupporting portions on the support ring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Food waste disposer 10 whichincorporates the principles of my invention is illustrated incross-section in FIG. I and wherein there is shown a hopper 12 whichopens into a comminuting chamber 14 in which the actual grinding of foodwaste occurs. Food waste disposer 10 also includes a drainage means 16which is provided for hook-up to the waste drainage system of the housein which the food waste disposer is situated.

Food waste disposer 10 is suspended beneath a sink 18 (only partiallyshown) so that it sits beneath the drain opening provided in this sink.A sink flange 20 of the food waste disposer 10, having a generalcylindrical shape and a funnel-like opening, seats on the bottom surfaceof the sink l8 and abuttingly engages against the surface whichsurrounds the drainage aperture formed therein, with a ring of puttybeing spread around the underside of the sink flange prior to itsinsertion into the sink opening. A sink gasket 22 which may be formedfrom a paper type gasketing material or the like is provided to seat onthe surface of the underside of the sink 18, again in the area where thedrain is formed therein. A clamp ring 24 is disposed in compressingrelationship relative to the sink gasket 22 so as to compress the puttyand this gasket and seal the jointure between the sink flange 20 andsink l8 proper.

In order to provide this compressive force the clamp ring 24 includes aseries of lug-like elements 26 (preferably three in number, situatedequidistant around the periphery of the clamp ring) which extendradially outwardly from the clamp ring 24 so as to be engaged by aseries of set screws 28 which force the clamp ring 24 upwardly into itscompressed relationship with the sink gasket 22 when the said set screws28 are threadingly inserted in a support ring 30.

Support ring 30 also includes a series of lug-like projections 32 whichextend radially outwardly from its main body portion, with the number ofprojections being equal to the number of lug-like elements 26 on clampring 24. A threaded bore 34 is formed in each of the lug-likeprojections 30 for the insertion in each of the bores 34 of one setscrew 28. The set screws 28, then, may be threadedly inserted thereinand screwed up tight against the clamp ring 24 so that it compresses thesink gasket 22 and affords the aforementioned seal.

In order to insure that the supporting ring 30 assumes a fixed positionrelative to the sink flange 20, it is assembled on the sink flange 20and retained in a specified location by means of a retaining ring 36which seats in an annular groove 38 extending around the circumferentialperiphery of the sink flange 20. The retaining ring 36 extends therefroma sufficient amount to insure engagement between it and an outwardly anddownwardly disposed annular rim 38 which is formed adjacent thecylindrical inner periphery of the support ring 30. This retaining ringis made of spring steel so as to insure its maintenance in thecircumferential groove 38 after once resiliently assembled therewith soas to provide a substantially rigid and positively placed relationshipbetween the retaining ring 30 and the sink flange 20. Insofar asrelated, the food waste disposer is substantially conventional.

The novel manner of mounting the remainder of the food waste disposer tothose elements immediately above described as already mounted with thesink 18 will now be detailed. A series of downwardly depending primarysupport portions 40 (preferably three) are provided on the support ring30 at equidistantly spaced locations for support of the hopper 12 offood waste disposer 10. Each of these downwardly depending supportprojections tapers radially inwardly and is substantially right-angledin cross section to provide an inwardly extending ear 42 that extendssubstantially radially relative to the circumference of support ring 30.Each of the ears 42 includes, adjacent its inner termination, aplurality of upturned tabs 44 which can be considered a secondarysupporting portion for the support of the hopper l2 and ancillaryelements disposed therebelow from the support ring 30.

Below the support ring 30 is a support gasket 46 of elastomeric materialwhich is generally ring-shaped so as to provide an inner diameter ofsufficient dimension to receive the bottom portion of the sink flange20.

Support gasket 46 also includes a right angle (or crosssection) annulargroove disposed intermediate its inner and outer diameters whichreceives a top portion of hopper 14 including an out-turned end 50 ofhopper 14, with the out-tumed end 50 being received in that portion ofgroove 48 which extends radially relative to the circumference ofsupport gasket 46. Internal ribs 52 are formed within the groove 48 onits inner periphery so that the hopper 14 is received therein in acompressed condition so as to provide a seal between it and the supportgasket 46. Support gasket 46 also includes a series of ribs 54 locatedon its internal diameter which compressingly envelope the bottom portionof sink flange 20 so as to form a seal therebetween.

In order to provide mating elements for support portions 40, the outerperiphery of support gasket 46 (FIG. 2) includes a series ofequidistantly spaced protuberances or lug-like means 56 which extendradially outwardly relative to the main body portion of support gasket46. Each of these lug-like means has a tapering periphery 'in a downwarddirection, the purpose of which will be later described. Each of the lugmeans 56 also includes a series of notched out or well portions 62 onits periphery, with these notched out portions being similar in size tothe tabs 44. All the structure has now been described that is requiredfor supporting engagement between the support gasket 46 and the supportring 30.

Viewing the illustration shown in FIG. 2 a sufficient make the manner ofsupporting engagement between these two elements relatively obvious.Support gasket 46 is first attached to the hopper 12 by means of hopper12 being inserted into itsright angled, annular groove 48. Then thesupport gasket 46 is moved upwardly relative to the depending supportring 30, as positioned, below the sink 18, with the lug-like means 56offset from the support portions 40 so that the support ring 30 receivesthe support flange 46 in nesting engagement. Support gasket 46 is thenrotated a sufficient extent to place the support portions 40 of thesupport ring 30 and the lug-like means 56 of the support gasket 46 inclose confronting adjacency with the cars 42 disposed below the bottomextent of the supporting gasket 46 The support gasket 46 is thenpermitted to drop so that the tabs 44 engage in the well-like notches 62formed on each of the lug-like means56 of support gasket 46 to therebymaintain the support gasket 46 against rotation relative to support ring30, with the tapered support gasket being wedgedly received by thesupport ring 30.

The hopper 12 is thereby supported in a hanging or dependingrelationship relative to sink flange 20 with the moving parts of foodwaste disposer also depending from support gasket 46 so that theelastomeric, dam pening qualities thereof will prevent a large portionof the vibrations produced by food waste disposer 10 from beingtransmitted backwardly into sink 18. Further, the tabs 44, havingengaged in the wells 62, supportingly lock the support gasket 46 againstrotation relative to the sink flange 20. The lateral compression of theinner part of the gasket confined in the space between the sink flangeand the upper end of the hopper, obtained by virtue of the relationshipof the dimension of that space to the thickness of the inner part of thegasket, results in the deformation of the ribs 52 and S4, and

provides a tightly sealed food waste disposer which will sealinglycontain all food waste placed therein.

As above described, the right angle, annular groove 48 in supportinggasket 46 supports the upper end of the hopper 12 therein. The wedgedrelationship of the protuberances 56 in the primary support projections40 results in a lateral compression of the protuberances and theimposition of the sufficient friction between the hopper and gasket thatmotor torque will not turn the hopper relative to the gasket. However,this friction may be overcome by the installer so that he can rotate thehopper so as to align the drain 16 of food waste disposer with the wastepiping system for the sink. Thus, a food waste disposer quick mountingarrangement has been provided which is easily assembled and is extremelyflexible so as to permit its easy adjustment relative to the pipingconfiguration contained beneath the sink l8.

lt should be obvious to one skilled in the art that a quick mountsupport system for a food waste disposer has been described whichfulfills all the advantages set out for it and, further, it should alsobe obvious to one skilled in the art that many modifications can be madetherein which would still fall within the purview and scope of thedescription offered.

What is claimed is:

1. In a food waste disposer and mounting arrangement therefor having asink flange and means associated therewith for securing a support ringthereto:

a support ring including at least three circumferentially spaced supportprojections, each said support projection comprising a radiallyoutwardly, then downwardly, and then radially inwardly directed member,with said inwardly directed part thereof being of substantially shorterextent than said outwardly directed part, so that in vertical crosssection each said projection has the general form of a channel with thelower leg substantially shorter than the upper leg;

a hopper for said disposer including an upper end provided with aradially directed flange thereon;

an elastomeric gasket seated on said hopper upper end with said flangereceived in groove means in said gasket for providing suspended supportof said hopper from said gasket, said gasket including circumferentiallyspaced protuberances corresponding in number to said projections on saidsupport ring and being shaped in vertical cross section to generallyconform to said projections when received therein;

said gasket being received and supported by said support ring by raisingsaid hopper and gasket slightly above their normal operational position,rotating said gasket to align said protuberances with said projections,and then seating said protuberances downwardly in said projections, sothat the only support for said hopper is provided through the directsupport of said gasket from said support ring.

2. ln a food waste disposer and mounting arrangement therefor having asink flange and means as sociated therewith for securing a support ringthereto:

a hopper for said disposer including an upper end provided with flangemeans thereon;

an elastomeric gasket seated on said hopper upper end with said flangemeans received in groove means in said gasket for providing suspendedsupport of said hopper from said gasket, said gasket including at leastthree circumferentially-spaced, outwardly-projecting protuberancesthereon;

a support ring having an upper portion supported from said sink flangeand including a number of hook portions, corresponding in number to saidgasket protuberances, spaced circumferentially around said upper portionand depending therefrom with lower portions of said hook portions beingdisposed, when said support ring and gasket are in installed relation,to underlie and thereby support said gasket protuberances;

said gasket being received and supported by said support ring by raisingsaid hopper and gasket slightly above their normal operational position,rotating said gasket to vertically align said protuberances with saidhook portions, and then seating said protuberances downwardly againstsaid hook portions, so that the only support for said hopper is providedthrough the direct support of said gasket from said support ring.

3. In a disposerand mounting arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

said flange means and said groove means in said gasket are dimensionedrelative to each other to permit rotation of said hopper relative tosaid gasket means after said protuberances are seated on said hookportions to facilitate the desired end rotational position of saiddisposer.

4. [n a disposer and mounting arrangement according to claim 2-wherein:

said hook portions and said protuberances include interengaging meansfor preventing relative rotational movement therebetween when saidprotuberances are seated against said hook portions.

5. In a disposer and mounting arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

said interengaging means includes at least one projecting tab on saidlower portion of each said hook portion, and at least one correspondingcavity provided on each said protuberance to receive said tab.

6. In a disposer and mounting arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

said hook portions are fonned as integral parts of said support ring.and are non-detachable therefrom.

7. In a disposer and mounting arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:

each said hook portion includes a generally downwardly-directed leginclined slightly inwardly toward its bottom end, and aninwardly-directed toe portion;

each said protuberance is shaped in vertical crosssection to generallyconform to the interior shape of said hook portion when saidprotuberance is seated thereon, so that when said protuberance iselevated slightly from its seated position, clearance in a radialdirection is provided between said protuberance and said hook portion.

1. In a food waste disposer and mounting arrangement therefor having asink flange and means associated therewith for securing a support ringthereto: a support ring including at least three circumferentiallyspaced support projections, each said support projection comprising aradially outwardly, then downwardly, and then radially inwardly directedmember, with said inwardly directed part thereof being of substantiallyshorter extent than said outwardly directed part, so that in verticalcross section each said projection has the general form of a channelwith the lower leg substantially shorter than the upper leg; a hopperfor said disposer including an upper end provided with a radiallydirected flange thereon; an elastomeric gasket seated on said hopperupper end with said flange received in groove means in said gasket forproviding suspended support of said hopper from said gasket, said gasketincluding circumferentially spaced protuberances corresponding in numberto said projections on said support ring and being shaped in verticalcross section to generally conform to said projections when receivedtherein; said gasket being received and supported by said support ringby raising said hopper and gasket slightly above their normaloperational position, rotating said gasket to align said protuberanceswith said projections, and then seating said protuberances downwardly insaid projections, so that the only support for said hopper is providedthrough the direct support of said gasket from said support ring.
 2. Ina food waste disposer and mounting arrangement therefor having a sinkflange and means associated therewith for securing a support ringthereto: a hopper for said disposer including an upper end provided withflange means thereon; an elastomeric gasket seated on said hopper upperend with said flange means received in groove means in said gasket forproviding suspended support of said hopper from said gasket, said gasketincluding at least three circumferentially-spaced, outwardly-projectingprotuberances thereon; a support ring having an upper portion supportedfrom said sink flange and including a number of hook portions,corresponding in number to said gasket protuberances, spacedcircumferentially around said upper portion and depending therefrom withlower portions of said hook portions being disposed, when said supportring and gasket are in installed relation, to underlie and therebysupport said gasket protuberances; said gasket being received andsupported by said support ring by raising said hopper and gasketslightly above their normal operational position, rotating said gasketto vertically align said protuberances with said hook portions, and thenseating said protuberances downwardly against said hook portions, sothat the only support for said hopper is provided through the directsupport of said gasket from said support ring.
 3. In a disposer andmounting arrangement according to claim 2 wherein: said flange means andsaid groove means in said gasket are dimensioned relative to each otherto permit rotation of said hopper relative to said gasket means aftersaid protuberances are seated on said hook portions to facilitate thedesired end rotational position of said disposer.
 4. In a disposer andmounting arrangement according to claim 2 wherein: said hook portionsand said protuberances include interengaging means for preventingrelative rotational movement therebetween when said protuberances areseated against said hook portions.
 5. In a disposer and mountingarrangement according to claim 2 wherein: said interengaging meansincludes at least one projecting tab on said lower portion of each saidhook portion, and at least one corresponding cavity provided on eachsaid pRotuberance to receive said tab.
 6. In a disposer and mountingarrangement according to claim 2 wherein: said hook portions are formedas integral parts of said support ring and are non-detachable therefrom.7. In a disposer and mounting arrangement according to claim 2 wherein:each said hook portion includes a generally downwardly-directed leginclined slightly inwardly toward its bottom end, and aninwardly-directed toe portion; each said protuberance is shaped invertical cross-section to generally conform to the interior shape ofsaid hook portion when said protuberance is seated thereon, so that whensaid protuberance is elevated slightly from its seated position,clearance in a radial direction is provided between said protuberanceand said hook portion.